SARAH

            It was a sad night that evening.  A silent night.  The funeral pyres burned in the palace’s courtyard, all fifty of the Mauville city watch that had died protecting the walls.  The Brightflames have taken these men.  Even in our victory the fires consume their bodies.  Tradition is tradition, but we should have buried these men.  She didn’t know the name of each and every man who had died that day, but she remembered some of them by face. 

            Manectric sat sadly at her side in stark contrast to her father’s Manectric, who stared straight into the fires unblinking.  Princess Sarah Spark watched King Marcus walk to each and every burning corpse.  Each particular soldier had family present- mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, cousins, and friends- and her father knew each of the soldier’s names.  I hope he doesn’t have to do this for me should I fail in my mission.

            Volbeat and Illumise buzzed through the sky, their tails glittering in the crescent-moonlight almost as if they were the bright spirits of the brave men ascending to join the countless others in the night sky. As she gazed at the stars that shone through the smoke, she wondered if any of them now belonged to Lily, her future husband’s little sister.  Life is so fragile.

 She inhaled a deep breath.  This could be the last night she ever saw the bug-Pokémon do their dance of love in the night sky over her home.  Tonight, she was going with Apollo Love to rescue Swampert.

            She wasn’t scared, Sarah Spark was never scared.  She had all the copper-tipped arrows she could ever want, as well as a newly-smelted lightweight suit of armor that fit her slim young woman’s body perfectly.  She wore it under a plan cloak that was the color of rock and dirt, so as to blend in with Mt. Chimney Kingdom’s terrain. 

            She looked over in the far corner of the courtyard.  Apart from the other fires of Mauville’s soldiers, she knew that Chris had brought the body of Ryan to be burned this night as well.  Hector’s head was hung in silence and sadness, Wingull perched on his shoulder.

            “He died a soldier’s death,” Chris said without looking at her as she approached.  “He protected the innocent, and defended his king.  He deserves a soldier’s rights tonight.”

            Ryan’s body was pale and seemingly smaller now that the life had gone out from him.  His funeral pyre was built by hand by Chris himself, not on a raised stone platform like the other soldiers. He looked like a sleeping child to Sarah.  Manectric circled over to the other side of the crude pile of sticks that were aflame. Manectric bowed its head at the round shape wrapped in linens.

            Marrill, she knew.  The Pokémon felt just as people did, and possibly worse. 

            Chris smiled and continued talking, no tears in his eye.  “Do you remember, Hector, when Ryan Bonded with Marrill?”

            Hector wiped a tear away.  “I remember what he told me.”

            Sarah stood silently and respectfully, listening. 

            “He was twelve.  Ryan was even big and strong for his age back then.  He found a little Azurill backed into a corner with two Carvanha.  Nasty fish, a school of them can skin a man to the bone.

            “I was with him when Swampert was still Mudkip.  I told him not to jump in to protect Azurill. If he really cared about the Pokémon, Mudkip would try its best to defend the little blue thing.  He didn’t listen.  He took my spear and jumped in, skewered the one Carvanha while the other one swam out to sea.  Nasty fish to eat, too.”

            Hector nodded and smiled.  “I always thought he was lying about that.  I knew there was no way he killed five Carvanha and a Sharpedo as well with his bare hands.” 

            The fire cackled as Chris finally met Sarah’s eyes across the dancing flames.  “Do you remember when you Bonded with Manectric?  Do you remember the feeling?”

            It was fuzzy for her to remember, but her parents did.  They said she had placed her hand on Electrike’s head about two years after the egg had hatched.  She was seven then.  Her father could have sworn from that day they had exchanged lightning between their eyes.  “My parents told me about it, I don’t remember it personally though.”

            “It’s hard for us,” Chris said, his smile only widening.  “The Spirit Families, I mean.  It comes all too natural for us.  Most of us make the connection when we’re too young to know any better. 

            “Ryan was different, he was the only one in his family for five generations to spiritually bond with a Pokémon.  He said it was like getting sucked in and living the Pokémon’s life from hatching to present day, all in the blink of an eye.  In an instant, Ryan said, he knew the inner workings of Azurill’s heart and mind, and they became one.  I’m jealous of him for knowing that,” the tears that must have been dammed up like a great river began to flow down the King of Slateport’s cheek. 

            “He always got the pretty girl,” acknowledged Hector, patting his friend on the shoulder.  “That’s what I was jealous of.  I say good riddance, give the rest of us other guys a chance!”  Chris laughed at that. 

            There are some things only your friends can say, she dare not share the sad smiles, for fear of intruding on a long friendship. 

Hector patted Chris on the back once more, made eye contact with Sarah, and walked back into the palace. 

            Sarah Spark, Manectric, and young King Chris Marsh stood over Ryan’s body long after the fire went out, along with all the other pyres of Mauville’s city guards.  Eventually, the nurses came and wrapped Ryan’s and Marrill’s bones and took them to be prepared to be sent back to Slateport.

            Her father, King Marcus, was the last to enter back into the palace.  He gave her a sad look, almost like the one he gave her when Apollo requested her to join in on the rescue mission.  In the end, he had nothing to say and disappeared into the building with her mother. 

            They were alone now.  For the first time, Sarah noticed that Chris wasn’t wearing the bandages or sling anymore.  “You made a quick recovery,” she said. 

            “A full day with Gallade can do that.”

            “Does it hurt?” she asked him.  She walked over and put her arm through his, caressing where the bone had broken through a week ago, careful not to apply any pressure.

            Chris answered with no emotion in his voice, “No.  I can still hold my spear and a sword.”

            “That’s good,” She smiled and lay her head on his shoulder like she had seen the common girls do in the town with their loved men.  “It will be all healed up for the wedding then… When I get back.”

            Chris didn’t have anything to say about that.  I must have asked him sooner or later, directly or no, she thought.  The wedding was important for Slateport and for Mauville, and it had become important for her as well. 

            “I’m sure it will be healed by then,” Chris said as he turned his head towards her.  The Volbeat and Illumise seemed to dance even brighter now that there were no fires, yet no glowing tails were as bright as King Chris’s eyes in this moment.  She was lost in them.

            So he does mean to marry me, then!  Without warning, she stood on her tiptoes, threw her arms around him, and kissed him right on the face.  Sarah pressed her lips to his for a long moment, not daring to break away.  She felt the slightest a slight reciprocation, and in that instant the Volbeat and Illumise were flying through her as well.  

The sound of approaching footsteps led her to break away.  She couldn’t help but smile and blush, and she could feel Manectric’s heart beating as fast as hers.  “I promise you’ll see me when I return safely with Swampert.”

She turned to count her men, all fifteen were here, save Apollo and Gallade.  They must be meeting her later. 

Once again, however, Chris just stared at her unblinking, as if he was gazing into her soul.  “You’re not going anywhere, Sarah, I’m sorry.”

“What?” she didn’t understand, and she didn’t have time to.  A guard from the rear of the party brought Chris his spear and sword, and draped his blue tunic about his shoulder.  By the time she realized what was happening, she felt gloved hands hold her back.  “No! No, Chris, you can’t! I know for a fact your arm’s not well enough!”  She then realized why the young King had stayed all day with Gallade.  He was trying to heal his arm as much as possible. 

A tear fell down her cheek.  It did not move Chris Marsh.  “This is my responsibility.  You want to marry a King and join Slateport and Mauville, and you will, but I am no King until Swampert is safe by my side.”

“I want to marry YOU!”  She heard herself sob.  “Through all your grief and rash decisions can’t you see that your sister and mother weren’t the only ones who loved you?  How could you be so blind?  You’ve infected me, Chris Marsh, and I care about what’s best for you…”

Chris gave her one last cold look before he turned and went to make his way out of the palace gate, followed by the thirteen of Slateport’s guard that was supposed to accompany her and Apollo.  The tears fell down like waterfalls now, and she went limp in the guards’ arms that held her.  Where is Apollo? She realized.  He should be here…

In a jolt she punched one of the guards in the nose that had held her, and swept at the other’s feet with a kick.  She was free.  Chris and the rest of the party weren’t that far ahead, and the gate was only beginning to close. 

She had thirty arrows in the quiver under her cloak, as well as two knives and her bow.  They didn’t slow her down.  She was free.  Fifty yards left until she could protect her husband-to-be.  I’m going to make it.  If he’s not going to stay, at least my arrows can help his spear. Just a little farther. Ten feet from the opening she felt something thud into her back and she was knocked down. 

She looked up at the guard who had caught up to her.  It was no guard; it was Manectric.  Her Spirit Pokémon shook its head sadly, and Sarah cried harder than she ever had in her life.